Run It Fast®

Zach Bitter went down to Arizona to battle it out with the best of the best at the Desert Solstice 24 Hour in Phoenix and he’ll be going home with a new U.S. 100 Mile Open Track record after blazing 100 miles in 11:47:21.

So that must be kinda fast right? Oh, yeah, well just a 7:04 per mile pace. Run It Fast!

The previous record was recently set by Jon Olsen in 11:59.

He followed it up with the 12 Hour WORLD Record with 101.66 miles.

American Pam Smith, not to be outdone by Bitter, set the female U.S. and World 100 Mile Track Record in 14:11:26.

The Desert Solstice 24 Hour is hosted and put on by Aravaipa Running.

Overall winner of the 24 hour event was Olivier Leblond with 152.36 miles. He was followed in second place by Ed ‘the Jester’ Ettinghausen with 144.41 miles and third overall (first female) went to Connie Gardner with 110.11 miles in just 19:41:23.

2013 Desert Solstice 24 Hour Results:

1. Olivier Leblond – 152.36 miles (23:57:19)
2. Ed Ettinghausen – 144.41 miles (23:58:26)
3. Connie Gardner – 110.11 miles (19:41:23) – 1st female
4. Roy Pirrung – 106.88 miles (23:59:39)
5. Hung K Ng – 103.64 miles (18:50:00)
6. Zach Bitter – 101.66 miles (11:59:15)
7. Pam Smith – 101.41 miles (14:44:28) – 2nd female
8. Jay Smithberger – 100.91 miles (17:36:25)
9. Victor Vella – 100.66 miles (17:47:14)
10. Padraig Mullins – 100.17 miles (17:12:02)
11. Beth McCurdy – 84.76 miles (16:57:49) – 3rd female
12. Debra Horn – 82.02 miles (14:18:05)
13. John Maas – 78.79 miles (12:50:09)
14. Anthony Forsyth – 77.8 miles (11:12:08)
15. Anthony Culpepper – 76.06 miles (12:46:24)
16. David Ploskonka – 71.58 miles (12:46:02)
17. Kristina Pham – 65.37 miles (10:24:50)
18. Eric Clifton – 62.39 miles (10:09:47)
19. John Ticer – 62.14 miles (10:39:55)
20. Carilyn Johnson – 52.44 miles (8:42:57)
21. Jennifer Aradi – 51.7 miles (9:18:25)
22. Tracy Hoeg – 31.57 miles (5:14:03)

——

Congrats to all of these elite ultramarathoners!

[image: Aravaipa Running]

Here is a look at where everyone is running this weekend. We had 14 responses this week. Good luck to everyone and Run It Fast!

To join Run It Fast – The Club then click HERE to read more details.

Coupon for two basketball tickets to Tennessee Tech play Jacksonville State

Runners can’t jump worth a dime. Something about the day in and day out running that conditions the running muscles and decommissions the jumping muscles. Inability to jump is a condition basketball players call white man’s disease. Runners have it. They end up bound to the ground, able to run over it but not jump off it. No matter. Until they trip on a curb, they probably don’t miss the lost skill.
But just in case there’s a runner of the Cummins Falls Marathon still holding a soft spot for jumping, arrangements have been made. Yes indeed, tired runners can recoup and at least watch some high jumping. Turns out the Tennessee Tech men’s basketball team is loaded with high leapers that play above the rim, players who don’t jump so much as fly. In one recent game the team threw down eleven dunks. That’s some high-flying action.
Each runner of Cummins Falls Marathon – and this applies to the 5K, 10K and half marathon, too – receives in his/her goodie bag a coupon for two tickets to watch the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles take on the Jacksonville State Gamecocks the evening of the race. The game starts at 7:00 p.m. that Saturday, February 22. Just turn in the coupon at the ticket window of Hooper-Eblen Center. They’ll hand you two tickets. Easy, no hassle. After all, this is about recouping. Rest up while you watch a furious game. No charge, unless you want to buy some popcorn and coke.
During halftime, the man and woman winner of each of the four Cummins Falls races will be called to center court for recognition and congratulations by Tennessee Tech Athletic Director Mark Wilson.
In case you didn’t get enough of the Golden Girls dance team, the Cheerleaders and Awesome Eagle during the race, here’s another shot! The whole indefatigable bunch will re-appear at the game, promoting team spirit as they always do. When do they ever sleep?
After the game, if you need more rest, I’d recommend Father Tom’s Pub, on Cedar Avenue. Just show Father Tom your race number and ask for a free beer. Tell him I said I’d pay for it later. It’s worth a try.

This is the medal for the Dallas Icicle Marathon & Half Marathon that took place on December 8, 2013 in and around Dallas, Texas.

This was an impromptu “race” that took place following the cancellation of the Dallas Marathon because of Icepocolypse 2013. The North Texas Runners even had bibs and medals. Nothing stops runners…not even ice! Congratulations to everyone who braved the weather to get their run in.

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[medal photo submitted by RIF #60 Christy Bowers – follow her on Twitter @run2bake]

This is the cute finisher’s medal for the Santa Run 5K that was held on December 8, 2013 in Exeter, United Kingdom.

I love Halloween and Christmas race medals. Lot of cool stuff there. And this one is awesome with Rudolph!

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[medal photo submitted by Martyn Ewers – follow him on Twitter @greasygringo666]

The St. Jude Marathon and Half Marathon in Memphis, Tennessee was cancelled earlier this evening by race directors due to safety concerns for runners, volunteers, and spectators after a nasty ice storm and cold temperatures invaded the area on Friday.

However, unlike with cancellations at other marathons, race directors are offering three options for runners to not be totally left out in the cold according to The Commercial Appeal:

“Runners have three options, and donating the registration fee is one of them. St. Jude will also refund the fee, or apply it to one of three upcoming marathons: P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon and Half-Marathon in Phoenix Jan. 19; the Rock ‘n’ Roll New Orleans Marathon and Half-Marathon Feb. 2 or the St. Jude Country Music Marathon and Half-Marathon in Nashville April 26.”

So runners can 1. Donate the entry fee to St. Jude, 2. Refund the fee to the runner, or 3. apply it to either the Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon/Half, Rock ‘n’ Roll New Orleans Marathon/Half, or St. Jude Country Music Marathon/Half.

“Registered participants will also get first dibs to sign up for the 2014 event, which will be on the first Saturday in December, during a special registration window that will be announced later.”

It sounds like race directors made the right call in canceling the race according to reports we are hearing from runners and residents in the area.

The Dallas Marathon was cancelled earlier in the day due to similar conditions and concerns.

Run It Fast – Club on Strava Club Leaderboard from the week ending December 1, 2013.

Here is a look at how Run It Fast – Club members stacked up against each other on our Strava club page:

Total Distance:
1. Joshua Holmes – 107.5
2. John Leighton – 79.0
3. Nathan Judd – 43.3

Total Running Time:
1. Joshua Holmes – 16hr 42min
2. John Leighton – 14hr 13min
3. Nathan Judd – 9hr 39min

Fastest Pace
1. Natalie Torres – 8:12
2. Dennis Arriaga – 8:19
3. Alex Barrientos – 8:45

Longest Run
1. Joshua Holmes – 49.5 mi
2. John Leighton – 49.5 mi
3. Jenny Wood – 26.2 mi

Most Elevation Gain:
1. Nathan Judd – 5,726 ft
2. Joshua Holmes – 2,364 ft
3. John Leighton – 1,637 ft

If you are a Run It Fast – Club member then join our club on Strava (free) and see where you compare week to week: http://www.strava.com/clubs/run-it-fast-the-club

Join Run It Fast – The Club HERE

Here is a look at where everyone is running this weekend. We had 20 responses this week. Good luck to everyone and Run It Fast!

To join Run It Fast – The Club then click HERE to read more details.

This is the cool 10K MoRun medal that was held in Movember on November 30, 2013 in London, United Kingdom.

Quite appropriate, don’t you think?

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[medal photo submitted by Martyn Ewers – follow him on Twitter @greasygringo666]

This is the fun finisher’s medal for the Walter H. White Sr. Memorial Marathon that was held on December 1, 2013 in Jackson, Tennessee.

This was a fun themed marathon! Congrats to RIF #4 who went sub-5 hours there and set a new PR!

Here is another view of the medal:

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[Medal submitted by RIF #4 Marj Mitchell – follow her on Twitter @marathonmarj and by RIF #1 Joshua Holmes – follow him on Twitter @bayou]